PITMAN, N.J. – William Paterson senior middle hitter Kelly Helfrich (Clark, N.J./Arthur L. Johnson) was named the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Volleyball Player of the Year, the league office announced Nov. 5.

Helfrich also earned a spot on the All-NJAC First Team. Sophomore setter/outside hitter Megan Maher (Wood-Ridge, N.J./Wood-Ridge) was an honorable-mention honoree.

Helfrich, who has been a first-team all-NJAC pick during each of her three seasons as a Pioneer, leads the conference with 3.90 kills and 5.18 points per set while ranking third in blocks/set (0.96), fifth in hitting percentage (.327) 10th in service aces/set (0.49) and 14th in digs/set (2.93). Selected as the NJAC Player of the Week on both Sept. 8 and Sept. 15, she has compiled 13 double-doubles, 21 double-digit kills totals and 13 double-digit digs totals this season. Helfrich recorded her 1,000th career kill during a 3-0 victory at Rutgers-Newark Oct. 27.

Maher has contributed 2.79 kills, 3.49 assists and 2.92 digs per set this season for the Pioneers. She currently ranks fifth in kills, sixth in points (3.24), ninth in hitting percentage (.249), 12th in assists and 15th in digs per set in the NJAC statistics. Maher has compiled 14 double-doubles, including four triple-doubles, 14 double-digit kills, 17 double-digit assists and 10 double-digit digs totals this fall.

Fourth-seeded William Paterson (21-7, 5-3 NJAC) will play at top-seeded Montclair State in the semifinals of the NJAC Volleyball Tournament Thursday, Nov. 5, at 7:00 p.m. 



























NEW JERSEY ATHLETIC CONFERENCE ALL-CONFERENCE WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL TEAM

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Kelly Helfrich, William Paterson
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Meghan Stevens, Montclair State
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Katie Havlicek, Rowan
COACH OF THE YEAR: Elise Cooper, Montclair State


FIRST TEAM
Name Year Pos. School Hometown/High School
Kara Burnham^~ SR MH Montclair State Moorestown, NJ/Moorestown
Kelly Helfrich*~ SR MH William Paterson Clark, NJ/Arthur L. Johnson
Karen Martin+ SR OH Montclair State Sicklerville, NJ/Washington Township
Kaitlin Smith& SO OPP Ramapo Westwood, NJ/Immaculate Heart
Christine Velott+ SO OH Richard Stockton Moorestown, NJ/Moorestown
Stephanie Warner FR MH Richard Stockton Totowa, NJ/Passaic Valley

SECOND TEAM
Name Year Pos. School Hometown/High School
Kayla Anders* SO MB Ramapo Harrington Park, NJ/Old Tappan
Anna Chesnakova SR MH Montclair State East Brunswick, NJ/East Brunswick
Katherine Crosby SO OH Rutgers-Camden Marlton, NJ/Cherokee
Laura Hausman SO S Richard Stockton Bethlehem, PA/Catasauqua
Katie Havlicek FR OH Rowan Midland Park, NJ/Immaculate Heart
Meghan Stevens SR L Montclair State Woodcliffe Park, NJ/Pascack Hills

HONORABLE MENTION
Name Year Pos. School Hometown/High School
Christine Astarita JR L Richard Stockton Selden, NY/Newfield
Chelsea Bowman SR MB Rowan Penns Grove, NJ/Park Bible Academy
Tiffany Fischer SO S Ramapo Woodcliffe Park, NJ/Pascack Hills
Tabitha Jordan SO OH NJCU Bayonne, NJ/Memorial
Megan Maher SO OH William Paterson Wood-Ridge, NJ/Wood-Ridge
Elizabeth Steck SO L Ramapo Marlton, NJ/Cherokee

Key:
* - First Team All-Conference 2008
+ - Second Team All-Conference 2008
^ - Honorable Mention All-Conference 2008
~ First Team All-Conference 2007
% - Second Team All-Conference 2006